And while, it is typically difficult for “out of area” folks to do our local delicacies justice, Steven has done a pretty good job describing our beaches. Just the same, it is a fairly comprehensive list, so check it out:

THE HAMPTONS

While the western Long Island beaches are great, world-class, even, the beaches on the South Fork stretching from West Hampton Dunes to Montauk are a rare breed, marked by rolling waves and soft sand set in front of some of the most dramatic real estate in the United States. Since the region has dozens of beaches, each unique, please click through to each expanded directory listing for more details. Fees and permits vary depending what village and town or village manages the beach. In many cases, parking permits are only available to locals, but taxi options and walk-ons give visitors the opportunity to enjoy the beaches.

Westhampton – Hampton Bays

Beaches in this stretch are part of the Westhampton Island, a barrier island like Fire Island to the West. In this case, Dune Road runs the length of it, from the quiet of West Hampton Dunes, the party-heavy Westhampton Beach and ending at Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays at the gateway to the Hamptons.

Quogue Village Beach – One of the quietest beaches on Dune Road west of the Shinnecock Canal, Quogue Village beach is low-key, with a playground and a concession stand to go with the perfect sand.

Cupsogue Beach – This Suffolk County park is a local paradise, with long sandy beaches, a cabana, hiking trails, four-wheel access, free Wi-Fi and the chance to spot local seals sunning on sandbars.

Lashley Beach – Managed by the Village of Westhampton, Lashley is offers a local hideaway and surfing spot that far less rowdy than the shores at the Dune Deck Beach Resort nearby.

Ponquogue Beach – This beach, run by the Town of Southampton, is another local gem, stretching to the end of the barrier island. Beach, surf, concessions and showers are available, but the family atmosphere is what attracts most. It’s a gorgeous spot.

Tiana Beach – Another county-run beach, but this ones has a few different faces. By day it’s lazy and family oriented, but with the nearby clubs Tiana can become a lot more spirited as the day rolls on.

Meschutt Beach County Park – Being on the interior of the Shinnecock Bay brings still water to this county beach. Camping, boating and bathing are great here, and so is the seafood served at the Meschutt Beach Hut.

Southampton

Southampton’s beaches are pristine, with heavyweights Cooper’s and Sagg Main Beach often scoring top ranks in national polls. Permits and fees can depend on which municipality is running the beach and a few offer daily passes, often only on weekdays. Either way, the scenery is like no other, with perfect dunes and picturesque estates stretching for miles.

Shinnecock East County Park – The only Suffolk county beach in Southampton, Shinnecock East is actually the westernmost beach on The Hamptons coast. A major fishing spot, Shinnecock highlights its undeveloped scenery. Southampton

Southampton Town

Sagg Main Beach – This might be perfect Hamptons beach setting, with few features to get in the way of the scenery. Perhaps that’s why droves of seasonal visitors tend to choose this beach. Every other Monday evening during the summer, Sagg Main Beach is the site of a large drum circle, with other spectacles like the occasional visit from fire dancers. No weekend passes for non-residents.

Flying Point Beach – If you aren’t local, be sure to make arrangements to get to this Water Mill Beach since no daily passes are available. Incredibly scenic, with the dramatic Channel Pond behind the beach and the Water Mill beach Club nearby. No weekend non-resident passes.

Long Beach Park (Foster Memorial Town Beach) – Located in the hamlet of Noyac, Long Beach Park brings the expected calm of a bay beach, with still waters that are great for boating and fishing. On a narrow strip of land popular with sunbathers, it is a safe and scenic route for cyclists. Offers non-resident passes.

Southampton Village

Coopers Beach – Selected by “Dr. Beach” in 2010 as America’s best beach and, more recently, by National Geographic Traveler as the No. 2 family beach, Coopers is definitely a local champion. The only village beach with lifeguards, Cooper’s also gives visitors the option to rent chairs and umbrellas and has a complete concession stand to keep visitors well fed and hydrated. Grassy dunes, soft sand, and stately mansions dot the horizon at Coopers. And if the parking fee is too steep, the bike ride from Southampton Village isn’t so bad. The newly launched SpotRide will take you there for free.

East Hampton – Montauk

The riches of Hamptons beaches continues into East Hampton, where the sands, waves and the mansions tend to swell as you move East. But cross into Montauk and the surf clubs and swank scenes start to change until you at last hit Camp Hero with its miles of wilderness, bluffs and the Montauk Lighthouse at The End. For East Hampton and Montauk beaches, fees and accessibility depend on who runs them, but services such as Hamptons Free Ride can help visitors without permits get on the beaches.

Camp Hero State Park – The end of Long Island, Camp Hero is a wilderness like no other, with interior trails frequented by hikers, bikers and horseback riders, a museum, the historic Montauk Point Lighthouse and steep, dramatic bluffs that fall into the rough Atlantic Ocean. State park fees apply on the weekends, but the park is open for free during the week. A very popular spot for surf casting, too.

East Hampton Village

Main Beach – Easily the most visited beach in East Hampton, Main Beach offers a full pavilion with food and drinks, piping plover nests and grassy dunes along a stretch of beach that yearly attracts droves for its perfect vantage point to watch the Labor Day fireworks. It can definitely get crowded, though. Village Parking passes required between Memorial Day and Labor Day…** Parking tickets will be given out for no pass!

Wiborg Beach – Located right near the Maidstone Club, the tucked-away and very scenic Wiborg has long been a favorite of surfers. However, there are no bathrooms or lifeguards here, though approvals for lifeguards are in the works. Village Parking Permit required.

Egypt Beach – On the other side of the Maidstone Club, Egypt is a bit more rugged than its neighbor Wiborg, but locals know it as one of the best places to catch the sunset. No lifeguards, though.

Two Mile Hollow Beach – A large parking lot with a daily rate makes this beautiful beach another often visited attraction. Not much by way of amenities, but very relaxing.

East Hampton Town

Indian Wells Beach – While the sand and surf are big draws here, as well as the family friendly atmosphere and volleyball courts, the row of food trucks that park there give this beach a unique draw. Surfers love it, too.

Ditch Plains – Another beach loved by locals and visitors alike, Ditch Plains is a huge favorite of surfers. Only two miles from the heart of Montauk, the beach also has beautiful cliffs that stand out in a region where sand dunes are more common to find on the beach.

Like Ditch Plains and Indian Wells, lifeguards can also be found at ocean beaches such as Atlantic Beach in Amagansett, Kirk Park Beach in Montauk and Edison Beach in Montauk while unprotected and still incredibly scenic beaches include Little Albert’s Landing in Amagansett Lazy Point in Amagansett, South Lake in Montauk, Beach Lane in Wainscott and Townline Road Beachin Wainscott. Kirk Park offers a daily rate on weekdays.

The town also has a few bay beaches that offer calmer waters for young swimmers and spectacular boating and fishing. Those are Albert’s Landing in Amagansett, Gin Beach in Montauk andMaidstone Park in Springs.

A six-bedroom spec home on 1.5 acres at 493 Parsonage Lane in Sagaponack is still on the market, but builder Joe Farrell said he rented it for $600,000 for the summer.

By Julia Dahl

Speculative building is a risky endeavor almost anywhere. From the initial land purchase to the process of obtaining permits, hiring an architect and overseeing construction, building a home before you have a buyer is not for the faint of heart. In tony spots, like the East End of Long Island, where the price of land has gone up seven-fold in the past 10 years, it can be an even bigger risk.

And a year after the subprime mortgage crisis, it can be downright dangerous.

“I can’t imagine why anyone would go into speculative building right now,” said Walter Molony of the National Association of Realtors.

Nationwide, building is down. Though spec building isn’t broken out from the stats, new housing starts dipped 27 percent from 2007, which was itself a drop of 24 percent from 2006.

However, Michael Davis, a longtime developer of high-end properties in the Hamptons, argued that, “the Hamptons is unique.” Davis, who has already sold one spec home in Southampton this year for $5.9 million, has two others in the works. “If you’re in the right location in the Hamptons,” he said, “demand exceeds supply, even now.”

Still, market watchers are aware that even the Hamptons have not been completely immune to the fluctuations of the national market. In Southampton, for example, the number of new dwelling permits issued so far this year is just over a third of what it was in 2005. Between January and June 2008, the town handed out 62 permits — down from 88 last year, 130 in 2006, and 175 in 2005.

According to Michael Daly, a broker with RE/MAX Beach Properties who also blogs about Hamptons real estate, a select group of developers and builders (including Michael Davis) have been betting on the Hamptons market for decades — and though they may be adjusting their expectations, they certainly aren’t packing it in. Instead, said Daly, some speculative builders have begun marketing their new homes pre-construction, thereby reducing the, well, speculation.

“More and more builders are putting out their products with sophisticated renderings and floorplans, seeking to gauge the level of interest before they start building,” Daly said.

He estimates that there are about one-third fewer “new construction” homes currently on the market in the Hamptons than there were last year. Of those approximately 135 homes, Daly said that about one-third are being offered “pre-construction.” He said that pool of inventory includes 60 percent of the homes on the market with asking prices above $10 million and 42 percent of the homes currently listed between $2 million and $5 million.

In Bridgehampton, for example, one 6,000-square-foot oceanfront property is listed for $22.9 million “total turnkey,” or alternatively for $15.9 million “as is with plans and permits.” In Quogue, a 9,600-square-foot bayfront property with a wine cellar, gym and tennis court on 4.1 acres is being offered pre-construction for $15.5 million.

“Builders are trying to mitigate a bit of their exposure,” said Daly, who points to 35 homes in the area that have been built but not sold.

Bernard Markstein, senior economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of Home Builders, said “mom-and-pop speculators, the people who got in during the housing boom, have largely shaken out or are licking their wounds trying to figure out what to do with their property. The long-term players, on the other hand, are simply trying not to overextend themselves.”

Custom homebuilder Joe Farrell is one of those long-term players. Farrell, who Daly called “one of the most successful builders in the Hamptons,” said he’s sold eight speculative homes in various stages of pre-construction, at prices ranging from $2.1 million to $18 million, in the last six months.

“One house [is] sitting a little longer than usual, but we ended up renting it for $600,000 for the summer,” Farrell said.

Still, he does admit to being a bit more cautious in the new market. “I’m only buying land if I can get a great deal,” said Farrell.

For his part, Davis said that about one-third of his current business is speculative construction and that the volume of spec homes he’s working on hasn’t changed much in the past year.

“Last year when subprime hit, it sounded as if the real estate market as a whole was going down the tubes,” said Davis. “But I think it’s unfortunate that the press tends to generalize.”

Don Sharkey, the chief building inspector for the town of East Hampton, said building permits overall are “definitely down about 10 percent.” But, he notes, they don’t have data isolating new construction.

Meanwhile, Don Louchheim, the mayor of the Village of Sagaponack, told The Real Deal that the village is currently considering four subdivision proposals, representing about 100 acres total.

The right location, said agents and builders, is key, as are views.
Jeffrey Colle, who has been building and restoring high-end homes in the Hamptons for 30 years, said he is “absolutely as busy” as he was two years ago.

Colle is currently at work on a $40 million spec home in East Hampton, on which he is sparing no expense — from 18th-century fireplaces to bathtubs carved in Italy. The 12,000-square-foot home on Georgica Pond abuts a meadow reserve and will boast an infinity pool, six bedrooms, seven fireplaces and “sunsets that’ll knock your eyes out,” he said.

Colle said he’s already had brokers from Sotheby’s come by, as well as potential buyers from as far away as California and Australia. “I’ve been out here 30 years, and I’ve never seen the top of the market go down,” said Colle.

And that’s good news for other high-end developers like Robert Gianos, who has spent several years preparing to construct a Southampton subdivision that some have dubbed “Billionaire’s Corner.” Nothing like your typical suburban tract home, Gianos’ Olde Towne is reportedly inspired by the look of the village from when it was originally settled in the 1640s. Lots are reportedly priced at between $18 and $22 million.

“He’s building for untouchables,” said Daly, who reasons that since Gianos’ potential buyer won’t care what the price of gas is, the developer needn’t fret over market fluctuations either.

Best News! Southampton Town Board voted unanimously last night on a resolution to accept terms with LIPA that results in the burial of 100% of the cables on the powerline route on the back roads.

The terms call for a LIPA surcharge based upon consumption — for the East End of the Town, only (excluding Shinnecock, Tuckahoe, and the Shinnecock Reseration). The surcharge will amount to $3.70 per month for the average electric consumer, i.e., bigger houses will pay more than average, and smaller houses less.

At later date, yet to be set, we must go to LIPA headquarters to impress upon LIPA’s Trustees that we expect them to also ratify this agreement. Again, on that day, CGSF will arrange for chartered Jitneys (free to supporters who come, including lunch aboard the return trip).

In the event that LIPA’s Trustees do not ratify the agreement – the Town’s resolution also calls for establishing a Special Tax Assessment District to support payment for the undergrounding. The boundaries of the STAD are yet to be set, but will include Water Mill, part of Bridgehampton, and perhaps, depending upon their agreement, the Villages of Southampton, Sag Harbor, North Haven, and Sagaponack.

Please take the time to send “Thank You” emails to the Southampton Town Board for their good work to preserve and protect our scenic vistas and hurricane escape route. This was a long and hard negotiation for them. Here are their email addresses:
Supervisor Linda Kabot: LKabot@SouthamptonTownNY.gov
Councilman Chris Nuzzi: CNuzzi@SouthamptonTownNY.gov
Councilwoman Anna Throne-Holst: AThrone-Holst@SouthamptonTown.gov
Councilwoman Nancy Groboski: NGraboski@SouthamptonTownNY.gov
Councilman Dan Russo: DRusso@SouthamptonTownNY.gov

We owe a special debt of gratitude to Assemblyman Fred Thiele, who persisted in bringing both sides to this agreement. Without Assemblyman Thiele’s involvement this deal would never have happened. Please tell Assemblyman Thiele you are grateful: thielef@ assembly.state.ny.us

Steve Abramson, Chair
Committee for a Green South Forkinfo@buryLIPAcables.com

It’s not an uncommon scenario. Not to be cynical, but so much of our destiny is controlled by people who don’t live here, but wish they did, but they can’t and are not very happy about it so they feel a little “so there, you fancy-schmancies” is in order.

It’s why many have been trying to create “Peconic County” consisting of the 5 East End Towns. Why should we be ruled by people who have never even been here, some 50 miles away?

The same for the Long Island Board of Realtors. Why should a board from West Islip regulate how listings are handled on the East End, where we have a very different culture and way of doing business. That’s why HANFRA, the Hamptons and North Fork Realtors Association has grown to 1000 members in recent years – local rule!!

We’ll now we have the Long Island Power Authority – LIPA – who says they need to provide more power lines to the East End in order to keep up with demand, and they want to put up these big ugly poles along our roadways. Needless to say, many of us are against it.

There’s all sorts of nifty new fact and figures coming out about sub-prime. Here’s a map from Newsday showing the percentage of mortgages for 2006 that were sub-prime loans.

Presumably, that will give an indication as to how many foreclosures might be in these community’s future? Looks like the East End has a much lower overall percentage than our sister markets to the west. see map here

Raise your hands: How many of you REALLY know what MEDIAN price means and CAN EXPLAIN IT!?!? Median is like a Metric figure to me. Like: “What, you want me to walk two kilometers?” or, “WOW! that was a matter of centimeters!!!” Sorry, it’s pretty meaningless to me…for a definition of “median”,try this

Would it make it any better or worse to know that the AVERAGE price of Hamptons Real Estate is now over $1.6 Million? Impressed? Depressed?

The Long Island Power Authority is looking at ways to strengthen the power grid for the East End and, unfortunately, they are seriously considering installing new 60-foot-high power poles on a route from along David Whites Lane in Southampton through Scuttle Hole Road in Bridgehampton to the Sag Harbor Turnpike.

The power lines we have are currently the single largest focus of complaints about vista interruptions. Adding more and higher poles would be exactly the opposite of what the public wants.

“Of the Northeast’s most expensive summer destinations, the village of Water Mill, N.Y., in (Southampton Township), appreciated fastest. The median home price there is $1.38 million; it increased in value at an average of 21% a year over the last five years.” Coming in at #3 on the list was Napeague/Amagansett in East Hampton Township with a median priceof $862,129 and an average appreciation rate since 2002 of 20%.